Carolina Tree Care is proud to announce partnering with JC Raulston Arboretum at NC State University! Currently with over 6,220 taxa in the Arboretum’s living collection, this community partnership not only helps grow and expands the Arboretum located in Raleigh, Durham but is a valued resource for professionals in the green industry. The JC Raulston Arboretum at NC State University offers horticultural lectures, classes and courses, workshops, and tours throughout the location.
NEWS & BLOGS
If your maples are looking a little less than spectacular, it is likely caused by an insect called Gloomy Scale. Gloomy Scale is an armored “scale insect” that attaches itself to the bark and sucks out nutrients, water, and sugars from the tree. In heavy infestations the tree will suffer from a lack of nutrition. This causes discolored leaves, cracking of the bark, weak and improper growth patterns and branch dieback. In many cases the tree can die if not treated.
This past hurricane and winter storm season, we saw numerous trees down on buildings, cars, access roads, and power lines. We also saw just how expensive and damaging natural disasters can be. Natural disasters can put extreme strain on our budgets, create liability issues, and disrupt everyday operations. What if we could plan and budget for natural disasters before it's too late? We can.
Emerald Ash Borer(EAB) is a pest and a natural disaster to trees. We know now, EAB has been identified in many cities and towns in North Carolina including Charlotte and Raleigh - Durham. It has killed tens of millions of trees since its discovery in Michigan in 2002. Our municipalities plan to protect a few high value and historic trees with insecticides. The rest will be cut down ahead of the infestation.
If we do not combat against the borer, the spread of EAB is inevitable. Once a tree becomes infested, treatment is no longer an option. Brittle and considered extremely dangerous, an infected tree can quickly become a hazard and liability. Once treatment is no longer a possibility, tree removal is the only option. but can be very costly to the homeowner. Infected ash tree removals are considered costly, typically requiring expensive equipment like a crane to ensure safety.
The below snapshot documents just how quickly trees fail after EAB infestation. These Ash trees were identified about 5 miles north of Durham, in Sept 2017. These trees were green with about 50% of the crown showing infestation. By Spring 2017 they were dead and 7 months later were in the process of complete structural failure.
Here at Carolina Tree Care, we care about the canopies of the Carolinas and want to ensure your Ash is protected. Our Arborist consultation offers a free opportunity to document all ash trees on your property and plan accordingly by noting costs of protection vs. removal. By planning ahead, budgets can be adjusted and unnecessary expenses avoided.
Leyland cypress trees are a great landscape addition, and very popular throughout North Carolina.
The recent wet weather months can leave leyland trees susceptible to disease if not properly treated. We've recently spotted leyland's in Waxhaw, NC showing signs of distress. The symptoms we've seen mimic severe stress - needles browning and and falling off.
Are clovers slowly taking over your lawn? What better time of year to discuss how to get rid of clover in your lawn, than St. Patrick’s Day weekend! Unless you have a lawn covered in four-leaf clovers and full of luck, I’m sure you are looking for a way to remove this weed.
Did you know that Ambrosia beetles can infest and kill over 100 different kinds of plants? If your trees could sing Beatles tunes, we would rather they sang "I feel fine" than "Help! I need somebody . . ."
This past year, record breaking rainfall was recorded for most of North Carolina. There’s no doubt about it, the Carolina soil is saturated! According to Spectrum News Central, Raleigh-Durham, Fayetteville, Asheville, and Wilmington all set precipitation records for the year. Rain is typically welcomed in this Southern state, but when does too much wet weather become a stressor to tree health?
In the last few months, our Arborist Representatives have seen a surplus of uprooted trees across Charlotte, Concord, Raleigh-Durham and the Greensboro area. Homeowners and property owners are seeing firsthand the cause and effect of weather playing into the overall health of local trees. Across North Carolina we’ve seen uprooted white oaks, pines, and maples just to name a few.
Earlier this week, I headed out to a home in Midland, NC to assess some tree damage from Hurricane Michael. The homeowner had noticed that her arborvitae, which is typically a hardy evergreen, was quickly gaining brown leaves. Sure enough, signs of tree decay were clearly visible across her landscape. Given how quickly this condition can kill an arborvitae, the trees required the immediate attention of our plant health care technician.
This fall, deep root fertilization is at the top of our to-do list!
